Thursday's Tip

I shared many tips over the years on how to save money on food at Walt Disney World. But even the cheapest among us (yes, I'm speaking of myself) likes to splurge every now and then. While we're not big fans of spending too much time (or money!) in table service restaurants while on vacation, our family usually tries to splurge on at least one new dining experience each trip. So my tip is two-fold: First, make your ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations) as early as possible--in most cases, you can do this 180 days in advance of your arrival. This step has become increasingly important in recent years, as "Free Fall Dining" promotions have become the norm. And second, be sure to know about any dining closures for your travel dates. Obviously, when you call to make ADRs, you will be alerted to closures for table service restaurants, but it's also good to know if your favorite counter service eatery is going to be closed too. Here's a list of current and upcoming closures:

• ESPN Club (BoardWalk Resort): closed now and will re-open late spring


• BoardWalk Bakery, BoardWalk Resort: currently closed and expected to open late spring or early summer


• Main Street Bakery (Magic Kingdom): currently closed and will re-open May 18 as a Starbucks location


• California Grill (Contemporary Resort): closed now through late summer


• Fountain View Cafe (Epcot): closing in March and will reopen sometime this summer as a Starbucks location


• Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom): closing briefly for refurbishment May 13-16